Christmas Plans
by Cougarine
Summary: And yet discovering one's true self. the theme of this story changed dramatically as I wrote the second chapter, so sorry!
1. In a Hurry

In a Hurry

* * *

><p>"Hello, miss. What would you like?" the clerk asked. A blond girl looked at the many different kinds of hamburgers from the menu with enthusiasm.<p>

"A small rye bread hamburger, one small coke with ice and small french fries, please."

The cash register pushed out the receipt, and the clerk handed out a plastic card-like thing which had the number 27 printed on it.

"Here's your waiting number, please put it somewhere visible on your table. We currently have many customers, so you may have to wait a few minutes. The waiter brings your meal directly to the table."

The blond-haired girl took the card-like thing and headed towards an empty table.

When she was just about to sit, she noticed somebody waved at her from one of the tables.

A familiar looking brown haired girl was sitting in a nearby table and grinning merrily.

_Come__to__sit__with__me,_shegestured with her mouth.

Mugi picked up her bag and the plastic card and headed to the other table.

"Hi!" Jun Suzuki greeted. "Nice to see some familiar faces 'round here."

"Oh, yes, indeed it is. I was shopping for cookie ingredients, but then I got so hungry when I browsed through the shelves.. Such a nice aroma was floating in there.. So then I decided to go and take a break. What brings you here, if I may ask?"

Jun snorted. "I was shopping for christmas presents, but couldn't find anything nice. Everything's so expensive, especially under the christmas time. My wallet is howling, it's so empty."

"Oh, my. Can I help you in any way?"

"If you want to. I was trying to find some presents for Ui and Azusa. Nothing seems to fit them well enough. Beats me.."

"Well, we could go look for something together. Four eyes sees better than two, don't you agree?" Mugi smiled at the suprised look Jun gave her.

"Let's go, then. No time to dawdle, eh? Christmas Eve's nibbling my heels! Drives me crazy! Duh!"

"Oh, behave", said Mugi and both of the girls laughed at her Austin Powers impression.

"How about this? It just screams 'Azusa!', doesn't it?"

"I don't know.. It's a bit too expensive for my wallet." Jun frowned.

"Oh, I can help you! With money, I mean."

"Nononono! I can't possibly accept money!"

Mugi looked angry and pushed the paper money to Jun's hands. "No complaints!"

"B-but.."

"It's Azusa-chan and Ui-chan we're talking about now! Presents! Christmas! Don't you dare to say no."

"All right.. If you insist. But this does make me feel uneasy." Jun let out a long puff of air. "Let's go and get something for Ui, too."

"What shall we find, la la.." Mugi hummed merrily and Jun grinned at her peaceful expression.


	2. Nothing

Chapter 2 – Nothing

Wiiin. The sliding doors opened, and two girls stepped out from the supermarket.

"God, I am exhausted. And sweating. Gross. It's supposed to be WINTER here!"

Jun and Mugi walked along the main street, which was enlighted by street lamps and all kinds of colorful signs. It was really crowded, and they had to push their way through an excited crowd of women, impatiently waiting for the Louis Vuitton store to open.

"I usually buy my shoes from there", Mugi said.

Jun looked at her with disbelief all over her face.

"You? There?" she shook her head. "Can't be possible. Even the rich OL's have to save their money to afford even a single zipper from that place. You were joking, weren't you?" Her eyes narrowed a bit. "I bet you were."

Mugi looked suprised.

"What do you mean by that, Suzuki-chan? And what are OL's, if I may ask? I am not trying to brag, but money is not a problem to me, nor am I afraid to use it in a way I truly need or want to." She smiled faintly, but her eyes had a hint of coldness in them. "Please don't ask questions like that. It makes me feel.."

She left the phase hanging into air. Jun snorted.

"Bah. One kind of bitch YOU are, always bragging with your money. I, in the other hand, am completely normal! Why can't you at least try to act like normal? Dress normally? Behave like a typical schoolgirl?" Her eyes were on fire.

Mugi's round eyes narrowed, giving her an evil look.

"What are you talking about? And how does my behavior belong to here? Yes, I am not perfect, and I can never be, and I'm not even TRYING, but how is it linked to here? Why are you-"

Jun slapped Mugi's face.

"Fine!" she screamed. "Scram, you damned excuse of a girl! Why don't you just drop off dead! I am not going to spend my time with YOU, so now if you excuse me, I'm gonna leave." She turned on her heels and walked away.

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><p>"Lady Tsumugi! What could have possibly happened to your face? Did you get in a fight, o lady?"<p>

Mugi didn't answer anything to the butler. She went upstairs and navigated her way through their great big living room. Walking quietly along the long corridors, she finally found the door of her room. The curtains were closed. She opened them.

Outside it was snowing. Pure, white.. And so quiet..

"What went wrong there?" she asked from the scenery outside her window.

No answer came, nor did she expect one to reach her. Closing her eyes, she pushed her cheek against the cool window.

And when the moon rose high over the hills far away, a blond-haired girl drifted to the cloudy fields of dreams.

* * *

><p>Mugi waked up from the floor. The sun was up high, and snow was piled on the pine trees, accompanied with frosty birches. She blinked. It was around midday. School had started already, but she could not care less. All the members of HTT were probably worried about her.. Nobody was there to make tea.. She bet they'd drop off to visit later in the noon.. With Azusa.. And Ui.. And..<p>

"No way!" she yelled and stood up quickly. "No way."

As she had guessed, the whole bunch was waiting at their front door. She heard some noice, chitter-chatter, footsteps.. She was not going to downstairs. And they shouldn't come upstairs. She was so moody now, but also scared that she could say something horrible to them, too.

Some lone footsteps approached her door. Click.

The door opened. She was suprised to see a lone boy instead of a bunch of girls.

"Hi", the boy said carefully. He looked a lot like Ritsu, aside from the fact that Ritsu was a girl and this guy was.. well, a guy. Instead of being polite, she just looked away from the boy and gazed out the window. Snowing. Again.

"Say", she whispered, "what would a perfect person be like?" She looked at the boy.

He remained quiet for a long time. At last, he opened his mouth, but closed it again.

"If one would exist, it would definitely make another look bad, don't you think?" She let out a faint chuckle. "That's what I think, at least.." She gazed at the scenery outside for a second, and then stood up.

"Sorry about my lack of manners. I am in a peculiar state of mind now.."

"No problem, lady. In fact, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Satoshi Tainaka."

"Why, aren't you polite.. 'Lady', huh.."

Satoshi blushed. Mugi chuckled.

"I appreciate your kindness, but I have a long way to go to be a proper lady.." She shook her head and let out a faint sigh. "But enough about my problems. Why are you here?"

"Because Onee-chan sent me. She said you could use seeing someone else than just the old gang."

Mugi didn't answer anything. Her friends... were they trying to help or did they think she couldn't solve her problems on her own? She was 17, for gods sake.

"Is there something else?" she asked, because he looked like he was hiding something. Totally.

"Uh.. Well.. Azusa said she never wants to meet you again.. And Mio-senpai didn't say anything.. So only Yui-senpai, her sister and Onee-chan are here now."

Satoshi looked down to his feet. Mugi felt like someone had slapped her, again and again.. Something had torn apart.. She was a misfit.

Suddenly she felt tears running down her cheeks. Not caring that Satoshi was seeing, she slumped down and buried her head into her hands. Warm tears ran down her arms as she took shallow breaths between her sobs and snivels.

Something warm wrapped around her. She lifted her head up, to discover that Satoshi was hugging her tight. Mugi took his hand and squeezed it.

"Thank you", she whispered, "Satoshi."


End file.
